Georgian Bracket clock

And another one of my clocks.  This is one I made once I moved down-under and after the marquetry grandfather. This 'bell top' case design is based on a photograph of a clock by Colley and Priest. The movement in the original is dated 1754.  Yes all I had to work on was this photograph - no working drawing!

 

The photography used for the design. Most of the original looks to have been mahogany veneered

My clock.

My case is made from solid Western Australian Jarrah, often referred to as Swan River Mahogany.  I live in Jarrahdale, which at the beginning of Western Australia being taken over by the Britishers, or colonised if you prefer, was its largest town.  It had a number of timber mills which sent Jarrah to Rockingham for export all over the world.  A lot of it being exported as railway sleepers, and paving blocks streets.  These blocks were used instead of stone blocks, as with horses and carts rolling over them they were quieter than stone! Many were used into pave London and other European cities, and evidently some of Londons original underground rail tracks were laid on Jarrah sleepers.  Here ends the first history lesson!

The clock houses another Kieninger RSW movement which is spring driven, unlike the one in my marquetry grandfather which is weight driven.  But it has the same triple chime on 9 bells, and automatic night silence. The amazing moon phase dial was again made by John Skeavington!  It is true to period with extra scroll engraving and this time Jarrahdale on the dial. 

However, I wanted to include an appropriate moon phase, and this proved an interesting feature for John. I wanted the world globes to show the Southern Hemisphere with Australia, and the Southern Cross constellation.   However the original clock dials made in England in the 1700's, and the ones he was used to reproducing, show the Northern Hemisphere and the Plough/Great Bear constellation.  So my dial is rather anachronistic, as Australia was largely unknown until Capt. Cook's voyage of 1787!!
 

The top of the clock, and the front and back doors has hand cut fret work around the top to let out the sound of the 9 bells.

Bells were a typical feature on the original clocks though not the Westminster Big Ben chime.   The Westminster / Big Ben chime we all know, is actually called the Westminster Quarters, but its original name was the Cambridge Quarters. This is because it comes from Cambridge where it was was written in 1793 for a new clock in the church of 'St Mary the Great' in the centre of Cambridge.   Here ends history lesson two!

The key to wind up the movement is stored in the top.  It is used to wind three springs - one is the time piece, one the hour strike, and one for the quarter chimes.

As these were originally prestigious clocks owned only by the very wealthy, their owners liked to show them off.  So the main clock case was made to swivel on its base so the movement could be shown off!

Alas my Kieninger movement does have the intricate engraving found on the back of the originals.

It was great project with lots of challengers in its construction.     I loved making reproduction antique clocks!! No quartz movements here! 

Thanks for looking.